Dr. Bev Palesa Ditsie (Hon) is a radical gender nonconforming lesbian activist and an award winning filmmaker, disruptor and change agent who was instrumental in bringing LGBTIQA+ rights into focus in the late 80’s and 90’s in South Africa and in the world. They are a founding member of the first multi racial LGBTI organization in South Africa, Gay and Lesbian Organization of Witwatersrand (GLOW), which hosted the first Pride March in Africa.

Beverley is first of many things, but is best known for being the first African lesbian to address the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing 1995—the subject of their latest documentary, Lesbians Free Everyone, filmed entirely during the Global lockdown of 2020. They have also directed some of the biggest reality TV shows in South Africa including: Big Brother Africa, Survivor South Africa, All You Need Is Love; The Voice South Africa and Project Runway South Africa.

Independently, Beverley has also written, directed, produced and consulted over 20 socio political and human rights documentaries, and screened nationally and Internationally. Their first film, Simon & I, won best documentary at the Oxfam/Vues ‘d’Afrique in Montreal, Canada, (2004). Bev was bestowed an honorary doctorate by Claremont Graduate University in California in 2019.

Current Project

Eaglette, a former 1970’s superstar, has never heard her own voice–except through monitors during live performances. This mother of two sacrificed her marriage, her family and her reputation for a dream that almost destroyed her. Now, almost forty years later, with the help of her filmmaker daughter, she embarks on a journey to find and to hear her own voice. This story of love, heartbreak, tragedy and hope, proves that it is never too late to fulfill a lifelong dream. All it takes is one song.